The invention concerns a large round baler with at least one endless flexible bale-forming means that is conducted over rotary bodies, of which some are mounted on stationary axes and others are mounted on movable axes, and generally delimits a circumference of a baling chamber.
The book FMO-141B Edition D-00 shows a large round baler on page 153 with fixed side walls between which rotating bodies extend which have both stationary axes and movable axes over which belts are conducted. Several of the rotating bodies are engaged in a carrier that can be pivoted vertically. The belts are also conducted over rotating bodies on a tensioning arm, that is constantly forced into a position that applies tension to the belts. The advantage of this configuration lies in the fact that the carrier with the few rotating bodies is light and does not require large positioning forces. However, the disadvantage is that the carrier must be raised through a large distance in order to permit ejection of the finished cylindrical bale, particularly since a second set of belts is provided upon which the cylindrical bale rests during its formation.
DE-A1-198 51 470 discloses a large round baler with only a single set of belts that are conducted over rotating bodies on stationary axes and rotating bodies whose position is movable in a fixed housing and in a housing section that can be pivoted. A tensioning arm is also provided that applies constant tension to the belts. The disadvantage of this configuration lies in the high positioning forces that are necessary to raise the movable housing section and the large positioning path required in order to be able to eject the cylindrical bale from the baling chamber.
The prospectus VERMEER 504 HE, no publication date, shows a large round baler in which the pivot point of a carrier that extends outside the baling chamber is located almost in the central region of the baling chamber. At the outer end region of the carrier, an arm is provided on which several rotating bodies are located over which belts extend and that can penetrate into the baling chamber. In this case, the tensioning arrangement forms several loops in which crop can collect.
Pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/163,156, filed Jun. 4, 2002, discloses a large round baler with fixed side walls outside of which arms are attached that can pivot vertically to which two rotating bodies are attached that are spaced at a distance from each other. Along with belts extending over them, the rotating bodies form the bottom of the baling chamber and can be brought into a raised position along with edges of two side walls in which a sufficiently large opening to the ground develops rapidly through which the cylindrical bale can be ejected. A tensioning arm is provided in the forward region of the large round baler and is provided with a spring loaded roll over which the belts extend and form a loop.
The problem underlying the invention is seen in the need to propose a compact large round baler that requires low positioning forces and positioning paths during the operation.
This problem is solved according to the invention by a round baler structure wherein bale-forming belts are mounted to a carrier that is mounted for pivoting vertically relative to opposite side walls forming the sides of a baling chamber, the carrier lifting the bale-forming belts to a position permitting discharge of a completed bale.
The arrangement of two adjoining rotary bodies at the carrier, between which the bale-forming means extends, has the advantage that the bale-forming means is in contact, first with the one rotary body and then with the other rotary body, depending on the position of the carrier. In this way, a loop can be formed by means of the carrier so that the tensioning path for the tensioning mechanism is shortened. The bale-forming means can be configured as a set of narrow, parallel belts, as a band or as a bar chain conveyor. As a rule, the rotary bodies are rotating bodies or rolls, but may also be sprockets in the case of a bar chain conveyor. The configuration of the carrier is conceivable in many ways, for example, as a part with multiple surfaces, as a latticework of tubes, as an arm with a corresponding curvature, as a side wall in itself or the like. This carrier can also be configured relatively massively if it extends and moves on the outside of the side walls of the baling chamber. Since only the carrier, its rotating bodies, and the corresponding section of the belts are moved in order to eject the bale, but not the side walls, the repositioning forces are low. The repositioning paths are also short if the carrier, with its rotary bodies and the section of the bale-forming means running over it, form the bottom of the baling chamber and the bale can fall to the ground with only a small upward stroke of the carrier.
The support of the carrier in bearings, at least in the central region of the baling chamber, has the effect of a rapid opening of the baling chamber for the ejection of the bale in contrast to a bearing support from above, so that the baling operation can be resumed very rapidly. The raised carrier barely touches the bale after its ejection, because due to its at least approximately central bearing support, the radial extent is considerably less than in the state of the art.
The repositioning path of the carrier is not reduced by fixed rotary bodies that are located in the border region of the baling chamber if these fixed rotary bodies are located in a region in which the carrier with its rotary bodies intrudes only to a limited extent and if the rotary bodies provide space between them into which the carrier can penetrate.
If one rotary body on the carrier, on the one hand, is associated with a second with a radial offset, that prevents any contact of the spans of the bale-forming means with each other. As an alternative, a rotary body with a larger diameter could also be used.
A triangular configuration of the carrier provides a stable arrangement that can also save space. The arrangement of the one corner region, as a bearing, assures a positive transmission of the forces.
If the carrier simultaneously represents the side wall of the baling chamber, the result is a reduction in the number of parts. The stiffness can be attained by ribs, crimps, edging or the like, instead of tubes, struts or the like. The position of the rotary bodies relative to the side wall or the side walls does not change. When the rotary bodies with the carrier and therewith the side walls are raised for the ejection of the cylindrical bale, the crop to be baled that has accumulated on the outside of the baling chamber is ejected from the large round baler.
If during the baling operation and during the ejection operation, the two rotary bodies of the carrier that provide a deflection of the bale-forming means, are located at the same distance or generally at the same distance from a fixed rotary body, a maximum shortening can be performed at one time and a maximum corresponding lengthening of the bale-forming means can be performed at another time.
If the side walls can be repositioned relative to a chassis of the large round baler, they can be spaced apart from each other for the ejection of the cylindrical bale so that the friction forces from this are omitted and it can easily be ejected from the baling chamber.
Rotary bodies that extend outside the baling chamber, that is, extend to the side beyond it, or are at least even with this, and if necessary, move along the end edges of the side walls, permit a movement of the side walls.